Electric switch



W. G. \NILUAMS ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed May a, 1925 2 Sheets-$heet 1 rw hvvw w u a Nov. 17, 1925' W. G. WILLIAMS ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed May 8. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q W 4. ow w IZTZQRZO Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

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WARD G. WILLIAMS, F BRANDON, WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

, Application filed May 8, 1925. Serial No. 28,781.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WARD G. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States,and a. resident of Brandon, county of Fond du Lac, and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in electric switches and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention relates more especially to that class of auxiliary electric switches which is generally associated with a main or primary switch and by means of which a predetermined length of time will be caused to elapse after the primary switch is opened, before the translating device, electric lamp or the like included in the switch circuit is cut out by the automatic opening of the auxiliary switch.

The object of the invention is to provide a switch of the kind, which is of simple and economical construction; which comprises few and easily made parts; which is easily and quickly assembled; which is capable of ready adjustment as to the time interval designed to elapse before it opens the circuit; and which is at the same time of the greatestefliciency and certainty of operation.

The advantages of my invention will appear more fully as I proceed with my'speci cation.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view representing a front elevation of the improved switch with the movable parts thereof in one primary or set position.

Figure 2 is a like view, except that the movable parts of the switch are shown in another primary or set position.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the switch with the parts in. the position as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view re resenting a side elevation of the switch wit the parts as shown a a block used in the switch.

Figuie 6 is an end View of said block.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the improved switch as it is connected in an electric circuit.

Figure 8 is a sectional View of a block like the section shown in Figure 5 with a modified construction of the block.

Referring now to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings :10, 10-indicate the line conductors of an electric circuit in which is located the translating device to be controlled, in this case a lamp 1]. The circuit includes a standard switch 12 of any familiar construction. 13 indicates the improved switch which is placed in shunt or in parallel across theline con 'ductors 10, 10 with the switch 12, and is adapted to maintain the circuit closed through the said conductors for a predeter mined length of time after the ordinary switch has been manually operated to open the circuit.

Referring now to the construction in detail of the improved switch 13:1 i' indicates an insulation base which carries the operating parts of the switch, and is located in a vertical plane. 15 indicates a block loosely journalled on a horizontal pivot pin 16 projecting forwardy from and fixed to the base 14. The block 15 is made of any suitable material and is cored, bored, or otherwise formed to provide within it two laterally spaced parallel chambers or pockets 17, 17 extending in the direction of the horizontal length of the block. Said pockets, as shown, are cylindrical and extend" nearly the full length of the block. The block is fiat and of but little greater thickness than the diameter of the pockets 17. Said pockets open at one end through the front edge 17 of the block, where they are closed by plugs 18, 18.

Said lugs are made of any suitable porous material adapted to permit a slow inflow and outflow of air to and from the pockets 17, and as shown, are preferably made of wood. Near one'face 19 of the block and in a line intermediate the ends of the pockets 17 17 said pockets are connected on the sidenea'rest said face by a tubular channel 20 extending transversely of the block. Near the otherc face 19* of the block, is formed the iournal opening 16 for the horizontal pivot pin 16,-the same extending parallel to the length of the block and of the pockets 17 17 and being located in a plane midway between said pockets.

Thepivot pin 16 is made of conducting metal and is fixed in the insulation base 14. The rear end part, 16", of said pin extends through the base and constitutes one terminal of the switch. An enlargement 16 or other means on the pivot pin provides a spacer between the insulation base 14 and the proximate edge of the block 15. The outer end of the pivot pin has bearing in a metal conducting bushing 16, which is fixed in the block near its edge and extends through and is connected to a bifurcated contact plate 22, attached to the edge of the block. Said contact plate has laterally spaced tines 23, 23, which project above the face 19 of the block 15.

24 indicates a contact pin carried by a horizontally swinging arm 25, which is mounted on a bracket plate 26 projecting from the base 14. Said contact pin projects into the space between the tines 23, 23* of the contact plate 22, and is adapted to engage either of said tines. The pivotal axis of the arm 25 is located above and in the vertical plane containing the horizontal pivot pin 16 of the block 15, so that said arm is capable of swinging the contact pin 24 to either side of the said vertical plane. By reason of the engagement of the contact pin 24; with one or the other of the tines 23, 23 of the contact plate 22 attached to the block 15, said block may be oscillated by said arm to bring one or the other of the pockets 17, 17 to a position elevated above that of its companion pocket, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The block 15 is limited in its oscillatory movement on the pivot pin 16 by two laterally spaced studs or stops 27, 27", projecting from the front face of the insulation base 14; in a plane below the pivot pin 16 and at equal distances at either side of the vertical plane containing said pin, so as to be engaged by the face 119 of said block.

The bracket plate 26 forms the second terminal of the switch. The arm 25 projects through a suitable opening 28 in the insulation base 14, beyond which it is provided with a finger piece 29 for operating it. To. aid in the movement of the arm 25, a coiled tension spring 29 connects a lug 3O rising from the arm 25 on the forward side of its pivotal axis with a lug 31 rising from the racket plate 26 on the rear side of said pivotal axis. The action is such that when the arm 25 is swung beyond its median position, it will snap through to the limit of its movement in that direction in a familiar manner.- Said arm is limited in its movement in either direction by its engagement with the base 14; at the ends of the slot or opening 28 therein, through which the arm extends.

One of the pockets 17 is filled or partially filled with mercury. When the block 15 is in a position with the pocket containing the of the block 15 by the interchange of the mercury from one pocket to the other, as will presently appear, and the time required for thisinterchange will manifestly depend upon the rapidity with which the airis thus expelled from the one pocket and drawn into the other pocket. A ready means is offared for controlling this time interval by varying or changing the porous condition of the two plugs 18, 18 closing the ends of the pockets; and in the case of the wooden plugs provided, said interval may be varied or changed by treating the plugs with one or,

more coats of shellac or other suitable coating material.

The block 15 has two primary or set posi- V tions,-namely, the positions shown in Figures 1 and 2, with one or. the other pocket elevated above the companion pocket. either position, the pocket containing the mercury or the greater part of it has been brought to an elevated position by means of the arm 25 and the contact pin 24.| In the movement of the arni and the block bringing the pocket containing the mercury to the elevated position, the block and arm, acting under the tension of the spring '29, are brought to rest in their direction of movement, by the arm striking the base 14; at the end of the slot 28 and by the block striking one of the stops 27 or 27; but after the movement of the block is thus arrested, the overbalancing efiect of the differential of mercury in the elevated pocket will raise the block somewhat from the stop to maintain the contact of the one tine of the bifurcated contact plate nearer the said stop with the contact pin 24.

In either of the two primary or set positions of the block, the mercury flows from the more elevated pocket to the lower pocket until finally the overbalance of the block is shifted from the more elevated pocket to the lower pocket, so that the lower side of the block swings downwardly until it is arrested by the engagement of its side 19 with one or the other of the stops 27, 27 as the case may be. In this movement of the block, the engagement of the tine 23 or the tine 23" (as the case may be) with the contact pin 24, is broken,the stops 27, 27 being so located that just sufficient movement of the block is permitted to break the connection aeeaese Theo eration of the improved switch will be mam est from the foregoing description.

the auxiliary switch swung .to set said switch by bringing the taining it to the lower pocket.

block 15 to a position. in which the pocket containing the mercury is in an elevated position, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2. In this movement, the contact pin 24: engages one tine, 23 or 23, of the contact plate 22 and swings the block with it until the block has reached the limit of its movement by contact of its face 19 with one of the studs 27 or 27. The block then shifts slightly to rise from its engagement with said stop. With the parts in this position, the shunt-circuit, including the auxiliary switch is closed through the bracket plate 26, the arm 25, the contact pin 24, the tine 23 or 23, the contact plate 22. the bushing 16 and the pin 16, and its terminal end 16. The main switch 12 is then shifted 56 break the main circuit in which it is included. The main circuit, however. is still closed through the shunt circuit including the auxiliary switch.

In the auxiliary switch, the mercury begins to flow from the elevated pocket 17 con- This continues until sutlicient mercury has flown to the lower pocket 17 to overbalance the block 15 on the side of said lower pocket and so as to cause the block to swing downwardly on that side and move the tine 23 or 23 (as the case may be) of the bifurcated plate 22 away from the contact pin 24 with which it was held engaged until that time by the overbalance of the block on the other side by the differential of mercury in the elevated pocket on that side. The electric connection between the contact plate 22 and the contact pin 24.- being thus broken, the shunt circuit including the auxiliary switch is broken, thus finally cutting out the lamp or other translating device included in the main circurt.

ther means than the wooden or other porous plugs for closing the pockets may be used to take care of the relative displacement of air in the two pockets. l'he block itself as a whole may be made of material which is porous and which is capable of simple and. convenient treatmentto vary or change the time interval required for the inflow and outflow of air. In Figure 8 is shown still another means for providing for the relative displacement of air in the two pockets. Here, instead of porous plugs. the plugs 18 18, closing the pockets 17 .17 are made of non-porous material and the pocketsare connected near one end by means of a comparatively large tubular channel 15 in which is contained a wooden pin 15. which. extends into the pockets. .Said wooden pin is porous and provides for interchange of air between the two pockets. I

It will be noted that in the new switch, the body of mercury acts as an interchangeable, overbalancing element only, and is in no way included as a contact in the electric circuits to be controlled. This is an advantageous feature because when an electrical contact is made through the mercury the mercury is affected in such a manner that it will not readily flow, and a ready flow of the mercury is requisite to the successful operation of the switch.

Whereas, in describing my invention, I have referred to various details of mechanical construction and arrangement of parts, it. is to be understood that the invention is in no .way limited thereto, except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A switch comprising a base. a pin constituting one terminal of said switch, a block pivotally mounted on said pin, a contact tired to said block and electrically connected to said pin, said contact having tines spaced at equal distances at either side of said pin, the block being provided with like pockets spaced at equal distances at either side of said pin and connected by a restricted passageway on their bottom sides. a body of mercury adapted to be interchanged between said pockets through said passageway, means providing for a relative displacement of air in said pockets to'permit said interchange. and means connected to the other terminal and including a contact point engagable between the tines of said'contact plate for bringing said block to either or" two primary positions inclined in opposite directions.

I 2. switch comprising a base, a block pivotally mounted on said base, said block being provided witlrpoclzcts located at equal distances on either side of its pivotal axis and connected by a transverse channel throu h the block, a body of mercury adapted to e interchanged between the two pockets through said channel'to overbalance the block, means permitting arelative displacement of air in the two pockets during said flow'of mercury, stops adapted to arrest the pivotal movement of said block in two oppositely inclined positions, a contact member carried by said block, and provided with points laterally spaced at equal distances at either side of said pivotal. axis, anda spring controlled switch arm pivoted on a vertical axis in the plane of the pivotal axis of said block, said switch arm carrying a contact point adapted for engagement between the laterally spaced points of said contact plate. 3. A switch comprising a base, a pivot in projecting from said base and constitut- 111g one terminal of the switch, a block pivotally mounted on said pin, said block be: ing provided with pockets laterally spaced at equal distances at either side of said pivot pin and connected by a restricted passageway in said block, a body of mercury interchangeable between said pockets through lied passageway, means permitting a relalhe displacement of air in said pockets durmg the flow of mercury, a contact plate having tines projecting on. one side of said block and being spaced at equal distances at either sideof said pivot pin, a horizontally swinging spring controlled arm having a contact point engaged between said tines, stops adapted to arrest the oscillation of said block on its axis in oppositely inclined positions, and a bracket plate on which said arm is pivotally attached to said base, said bracket plate constituting the other terminal of said switch.

4. A switch comprising an insulation base, a metal pivot pin projecting forwardly from said base and constituting one terminal of the switch, a block capable of oscillatory movement on said pin in either direction, stops to arrest said blockin oppositely inclined positions, said block being provided with pockets spaced laterally at equal distances at either side of said pivot pin and connected on their bottom sides by a restricted passageway, a body of mercury interchangeable between said pockets, porous plugs forming closures for said pockets, a contact plate attached to said block and electrically connected to said pivot pin, said contact plate having tines spaced equally at either side of said pivot pin, a bracket plate projecting from said base and constituting sion device adapted to snap said switch arm from one extreme position to its other position when operated to oscillate said block.

5. A switch comprising an insulation base, a metal pivot pin projecting from said base, a metal bracket plate fixed to said base above said pin, a spring controlled metal arm pivoted on a vertical axis on said bracket plate, said arm being provided with a contact pin, an oscillatory block mounted on said pivot pin, a contact plate attached to said block in electrical connection with said pivot pin, said contact plate having tines pro'ecting above the block ateither side of sai contact pin, said block being provided with pockets spaced at either side of said pivot pin and connected on their bottom sides by a re: stricted' channel, said pockets opening through one edge of said block, porous plu 5 closing said openings in said pockets, a bo y of mercury in one pocket, and stops located on said base below said block at either side 'of said pivot pin adapted to limit the oscillatory movement of said block in positions with one pocket elevated above the other pocket. i

In testimony that I claim the fore oing asmy invention, I affix my signature t is 29th day of April, A. D. 1925.

WARD G. WILLIAMS. 

